Deciding
by Unsuspected
Summary: Deciding about a person is hard enough. Deciding if they should live or die is much harder. The thoughts of Apollo, Zeus, and Athena while deciding if Percy should be killed in The Titan's Curse.


Again someone asks Apollo to explain their prophecy. Again, someone disrespects the system created thousands of years ago.

And again, Apollo gives his poetic and well thought out reply to the questioner. "You might as well ask an artist to explain his art, or a poet to explain his poem. It defeats the purpose. The meaning is only clear through the search." But, something different about his response this time is that it stings angrily coming out of his mouth.

It stings this time, because the person Apollo had to tell this to be Percy Jackson, supposedly the hero of the prophecy.

"In other words, you don't know." Maybe this boy really is just like the others. It's a horrible thought that comes to the sun god, a bitter one that stains his mind.

Apollo quickly leaves, making a stupid excuse about the time, and thinking about this Jackson boy.

Most of the gods thought he was different, Apollo included, until today. So many heroes before him had asked the god of prophecy to explain their quests—if they had the chance to meet him, which plenty of the heroes never did. The reason Apollo had seen the boy was mostly because his sister was in danger, but partly because he was sure this kid was different, and wanted to have an even better look at him. Apollo wanted to see for himself what kind of boy was going to save the world—maybe. Sure, Apollo had gotten a glimpse of the boy at the Summer Solstice a couple years ago, and when he escorted the Hunters and campers to Camp Half-Blood, but the child intrigued the god.

At least he was a good friend; many heroes didn't possess that quality. He was on this quest to save his friend, Apollo knew, and save Artemis.

Apollo could tell that "save Artemis" was more of an afterthought to the kid. That obviously caused some resentment toward the son of Poseidon. At least it was _partially_ his reason for being on the quest.

Apollo kept thinking of reasons Percy wasn't a good hero. Every time he came up with one, he could find some sort of excuses. So, when the time came, he voted for the boy to live.

* * *

Zeus recalled the first time he had seen bothersome, idiotic Percy Jackson. The boy had entered the throne room with the master bolt in his filthy, unworthy hands. What did he do first upon entering? Speak to his father, the idiot. Did anyone teach him respect? Even if no one did, should it not be natural to first address the master of the house? It seemed to be the proper thing to do. Of course, Zeus had hated the boy before that incident, clearly, but when he saw the bolt in his grimy hands, ready to return it, a small spark of hope for the boy was lit. It wasn't much, even then, due to everything the boy had done against the Lord of the Sky, so it was quickly and easily extinguished when the silly demigod addressed Zeus's brother, the boy's father, Poseidon, before the King of the Gods. Percy was back on the bad side of the owner of the master bolt.

It is not a good thing to be on the bad side of Zeus.

With a death threat, Zeus vanished dramatically from the throne room, as he was known for, to consider the boy.

Lord Zeus was reminded of this scene when Percy returned to Olympus.

Of course, the boy had rescued the Fleece, saving Thalia's pine, and awakening her.

The boy hadn't done too many terrible things in his lifetime, Zeus knew. He also knew that if his daughter, Thalia, had not taken the pledge to become a Hunter minutes before, she would become a subject for vote of the Olympian Council, her life in the hands of the gods.

Despite the fact Zeus wasn't the biggest fan of Percy Jackson (and possibly still despised him); he gave the boy the chance Zeus knew the boy deserved to prove himself to Olympus.

* * *

Another mistake made by the gods, Athena thought bitterly in her throne. It was a duplicate unwise decision made by the Council. But even before a single god began moving a hand upward, the goddess of wisdom knew that the other gods would ignore her suggestion that the boy was a great threat to Olympus.

Of course, his being a distraction for her daughter didn't help his case.

The main problem for Athena, however, was the danger the boy was to the Olympians. He was one-hundred percent unpredictable. That was one of the things some of the gods liked about the child, the way he always seemed to find a way to surprise them. Few of the other Olympians realized how much easier it made it for Percy to turn on them. In fact, Athena doubted that any of the gods did. After all, Ares and Dionysus were the only other ones likely to vote for his death, and both of them were only eager for the disposal of another demigod—especially the annoying Percy Jackson, who had angered both of them somehow. (That boy did have a way with angering immortals.)

The boy stands before them looking innocent—even pathetic—but he, like the Ophiotaurus, could easily bring about the downfall of Olympus, no matter how harmless he appeared to be.

The decision was only slightly challenging to make. He put his friends above all else—a good quality in moderation, but he cared so deeply for them it was his fatal flaw. And his fatal flaw could mean their destruction. It had almost caused her daughter's. It wouldn't do risking Olympus by allowing him to live. She felt somewhat sorry for the boy as she made no move to raise her hand in favor of keeping him alive, but knew she was simply showing the other gods her position on the matter, because the only other gods who remained still were the two she knew would. She could only hope that her suspicions about his fate were incorrect.


End file.
